Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have undertaken of the future implementation of the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023.

A full Impact Assessment has not been prepared for this instrument because the amounts involved on business fall below the threshold for producing one. An internal assessment was made however by The Office for Health Improvements and Disparities (OHID) to help understand the impact.

Our internal assessment enabled us to conclude that the use of heated tobacco products is low at around 0.5% of adults in Northern Ireland. They are produced and manufactured outside the United Kingdom by the tobacco industry. The characterising flavour ban will limit the products that can be produced and supply on the Northern Ireland market which may limit the volume of sales.

Our assessment also judged that there will be no significant impact on the public sector. Each district council in Northern Ireland will enforce the new requirements. These new requirements are not expected to be a significant burden on district councils, given the low use of heated tobacco products in Northern Ireland.

OHID, working with the Department of Health in Northern Ireland, has communicated the proposed changes to the tobacco industry, the Northern Ireland retail representatives, and the relevant enforcement agencies.